I wish I felt more like I look in that picture up there. But the truth is, guys, it’s been a bitch of a week (month?) (year?) and I’m glad the weekend is finally here.
I’m spread way too thin right now, with way too many commitments and I’m just desperately trying to keep all my balls in the air . . . with limited success. This week, I’ve been completely absent when it comes to answering comments here on the blog, and I’m really sorry about that. I’ll do my best to go back and answer the questions at least, but it may take a while. I’m definitely overwhelmed.
So the thing about me is, I am a pretty damn intense person. I’m driven and I’m practical (perhaps to a fault), so I don’t tend to get caught up in my own emotional experience. I’m not a dweller, or a wallower. I’m more the “put your head down and plough through it” type, which is why, I guess, it’s easier for me to lose perspective. To lose touch with my greater emotional context.
Today I realized that not much more than 6 short months ago, I was living with my husband in Portland. With my husband. Six months ago.
And I thought, “Oh yes, well there’s that!” Sometime (most of the time) I need to remind myself that I am actually in the middle – like, right in the emotional middle – of a divorce. And it’s okay that I can’t keep all my balls in there air, and it’s okay that my house is a mess (all I want for Mother’s Day is a clean bathroom, truly!), and it’s even okay that I’m sort of a total mess.
So I’m trying to remember where I am in the grand emotional scheme of things, and where I’m coming from, instead of always focusing on where I’m going. Gotta go easier on myself, gotta go easier on myself . . .
//end authenticity rant.
Musically, I am still hopelessly stuck on Macklemore. His last album, The Heist, is so amazing and there is more than one song that – I swear – was written for me. Or about me. I mean obviously not, but dang, it resonates so deeply. So anyway, I think you’ve heard enough Macklemore from me, but I don’t have any other music to offer this week.
So I thought I’d share this video instead. Waits and I made it as part of a contest over at Vegan Cuts. We’ve been getting our Vegan Cuts snack box for a couple of months now, and Waits gets SO excited when the package arrives.
This is our “unboxing” video – hope you enjoy! (I am not affiliated with Vegan Cuts in any way, and I pay each month for my snack box)
Alright, I’m going to try to shake off this funk and muster my gratitude for . . .
Le Love List!
1. Focusing on what’s important.
Waits is happy, and he is healthy, and he is whip smart to boot. And all that “spirit” which makes him so hard to parent, well, that difficulty is nothing in the face of those three things. He is happy, and he is healthy, and he is smart. I am so thankful for that. A gift.
2. Art projects with Waits.
We made his daddy a big birthday card covered in crayon, paper scraps, and glitter. Waits isn’t usually into art (he’s a much more musically-minded fellow), so it was a real treat to sit together and complete a project, start to finish. A treasure.
3. Waits, throwing his arms around my neck and squeezing tight.
Yes, all three are about Waits this week. I guess when you’re down in the dumps, you can clearly see the thing that shines the brightest.
My baby boy and I, well it can be tough for us (we’re both spirited, see). But when he runs at me and throws his arms around my neck and squeals “I love you mama!” . . . well, that washes it all away, in that brief beautiful moment. A blessing.
Also! making amends .|. making changes .|. re-arranging my house .|. PUDLA FOR LIFE!!! .|. soaking up sun .|. acting impulsively .|. my roses .|. the upcoming weekend . . .
~~~
Alright guys, now it’s your turn – let me know what you’re loving this week!
This happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, feel free to just introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!
Hope it’s warming up where you are. Have a great weekend!
♥
Yes! The long-awaited supplements post! If you haven’t read Part I of this miniseries – in which I outline my general thoughts on raising vegan children – I encourage you to do so. As for this post, I’ll say that I’ve done a *lot* of research, and a great deal of consideration has gone into the choices I outline below. It’s what works for my family, but I do feel the need to remind you that I am not a health care professional of any kind, and this post should not be taken as a prescription for your family.
Also, I just want to acknowledge that there are different schools of thoughts regarding supplementation, whether it’s for children or adults or whatever. Some people believe that if a diet requires supplementation, then it’s somehow flawed. And, well, I just disagree. I don’t supplement because I’m vegan, I supplement because modern food is crap and has been on a nutritional decline for decades. These are not your grandmother’s potatoes, know what I mean? So being vegan only determines which kind of supplements I focus on, not whether I need to supplement at all. Because all the paleo parents I know are supplementing, and all the T.F. parents I know are supplementing, and most of the parents who couldn’t care less about food/nutrition are still giving their kids at least a multivitamin. Because most parents understand that kids need a little extra insurance – and that’s in no way a related to the validity of veganism.
One last thing, before I get into the nitty gritty of vitamins and minerals. I want to put in big bold flashing letters: the links in this post are affiliate links! (as are many of the links throughout my blog). That means that if you click on them, I will receive a very small portion of any purchase you end up making. If you like my site and want to support my work, then this is an awesome thing. But if affiliate programs freak you out, fair enough – just avoid the links and google around for the products on your own. Alright, now buckle up. This here’s a long one . . .
Vitamin B12
Well obviously, right? I mean come on. We’re vegans here!
Formula-fed babies will get B12 through their formula, and thus won’t have to start supplementing until they wean. But Waits was breastfed, and so as per the recommendation of Davis and Melina in the bible Becoming Vegan, I began supplementing with vitamin B12 very early. They suggest you start at 2 weeks old. I didn’t begin that young, but it was definitely before 6 months (don’t remember exactly – postpartum haze).
We use the Pure Advantage B-12 Methylcobalamin 500 mcg Spray.
Here’s why: It is methylcobalamin as opposed to cyanocobalamin (and why that’s important). It is certified vegan. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It only has three other ingredients besides B12. And finally, it’s a spray! For getting sups into a kid, spray is the way to go.
When Waits was very wee, I would just spray a bit on my nipple before he nursed. Then, around a year or so, I began spraying directly into his mouth. The dosage is higher than he needs, but B12 is water soluble which means any excess is just passed in the urine. I don’t spray every day – I did once or twice a week when he was younger, every other day or every three days now (at age 3).
Don’t mess around with B12. There are NO naturally-occurring reliable sources of adequate B12 in the vegan diet. Vitamin B12 deficiency is serious, life-threatening business. If you only supplement your child with one thing, make it B12.
Vitamin D
Formula-fed babies will get vitamin D through their formula. However, Waits nursed exclusively, and we lived in the sun-starved Pacific Northwest. Even for those who live in equatorial climates, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplementation of 400 IU for all breast-fed (and to be on the safe side, formula-fed) infants, beginning after the first week of life.
There are two forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol – vegan, and vitamin D3 is cholecalciferol – animal-sourced. Some people have argued that vitamin D2 is inferior, but here is a paper that shows supplementation with D2 to be just as effective as supplementation with D3. Which is awesome, but in case you want to hedge your bets, a new lichen-derived VEGAN vitamin D3 has recently been released.
I have used a few different vitamin D products for Waits, although to be honest, now that he goes to an outdoor preschool, I supplement much less frequently.
When he was younger I liked Pure Vegan Vitamin D2 400 IU Spray.
Here’s why: It’s the proper dose for infants and babies (400 IU). It is certified vegan. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It only has three other ingredients besides vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). And of course, it’s a spray – the very best way to get sups into a kid.
Now that he’s older, I like The Food Movement Vegan D3 1000 IU Spray.
Here’s why: Vegan D3 made from lichen – cool! It’s a better dose for older kids (1000 IU). It only has two other ingredients besides vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). And same as above, it’s a spray.
When Waits was tiny I would spray directly onto my nipple before nursing. As he grew, I transitioned to spraying into his mouth. I supplemented every day when he was little, then switched to the higher dose and began alternating days. I also supplement higher in winter and lower in summer.
DHA/EPA and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
I won’t get into a big discussion of DHA versus EPA versus ALA in this post, but if you’re interested, I cover the whole omega-3 issue very thoroughly here. Long story short, children are busy growing big brains, and those brains require the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA – which are not easily found in vegan foods. ALA is available and can be converted, but conversion rates are low and it’s not a chance I was willing to take with my kid’s brain. Many people use fish oil to secure their DHA/EPA, but I prefer to go directly to the source and get it the same place as the fish get theirs: algae!
There are a number of vegan algae-derived DHA/EPA products on the market, but there’s only one I’ve used for Waits, and that’s Deva Vegan Liquid DHA-EPA.
Here’s why: It is made by a 100% vegan company. It contains both DHA and EPA, and it comes from algae grown outside of the ocean, which guarantees that it’s free of common oceanic pollutants (like mercury, PCBs, etc). It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. And most importantly, it’s a liquid! This makes it much easier to get into a child.
Waits loves the lemon flavor and even though I think it tastes like fish-y grossness, he adores it. Supposedly you can hide it in smoothies, but I’ve never needed to. He slurps it right up and I . . . take my DHA in a capsule, haha.
So that’s my big three: vitamin B12, vitamin D, and DHA/EPA. I believe that at the minimum, every vegan kid should be taking vitamin B12, vitamin D, and DHA/EPA. But that’s just my opinion.
There are a few other supplements we take as well, which I’ll outline below. These are pretty optional, and could be covered by a simple multivitamin instead. Waits nursed until he was 3 so I never used a multi, and just supplemented where I thought he may need the extra boost. Now that he’s weaned I’m looking into multivitamins – I’ll update when I find the right one!
Vitamin K2
Vitamin K1 is abundant in leafy greens and other plant foods, and can be converted into K2 by the body. However, conversion rates vary and may be lower in children. Vitamin K2 is very important in skeletal and dental health – it basically tells calcium where to go (that’s a super simplified explanation, but you get the point). So, vitamin K2 works synergistically with calcium, vitamin D, and other minerals to build strong bones and teeth.
I use the Now Foods Vitamin K2 100 mcg Vcaps.
Here’s why: It comes in a vegan (non-gelatin) capsule which is easy to open and pour out. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It is free of preservatives. It’s cheap!
We do not use this every day. I typically add 1/2 a capsule to a smoothie that we then share between us. Waits eats lots of greens and I assume he’s converting his K1 into K2. I just use this supplement as a little extra booster. I also use this in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.
Zinc
In Becoming Vegan, Davis and Melina stress that zinc can be a bit tricky to obtain on a vegan diet – especially for children. Zinc is essential for proper growth, and it has many other rolls in the body as well. Zinc is important for wound-healing and immune function, so I always give us a boost when we’re fighting a bug.
I use Now Foods Zinc Gluconate 50 mg Tablets.
Here’s why: It’s vegan. It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. It’s cheap!
The dosage on these is too much for a child, so I break each pill in half and add that to a smoothie, which we then split between us. I don’t supplement with zinc every day, and rarely more than once or twice a week. Like I said, it’s good for when we’re feeling under the weather, and otherwise I just use it occasionally as added insurance (maybe more when Waits is being a super-picky-eating toddler). I also use this in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.
Calcium-Magnesium
Calcium and magnesium are essential to many metabolic functions, but are most notable in children for the roll they play in building bones and teeth. Kids can be so dang picky with their foods, that it’s nice to have a cal-mag complex on hand for those “lean” weeks.
I use Deva Calcium Magnesium Plus (chelated form).
Here’s why: It’s made by a 100% vegan company. The minerals are chelated, which allows for maximum absorption by the intestine. It’s an entire bone-building complex which also includes zinc, vitamin D, boron, vitamin C, and copper. It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. It’s cheap!
This is another one I throw into smoothies when I feel like Waits’s diet has been otherwise lacking. The serving size for these is 3 pills, so I usually use 1 pill and split the smoothie between us. Just a little extra boost! I also use these in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.
My goodness gracious! So, I was totally intending to include a whole section entitled “Is it a food or is it a supplement?” but man, this post has gotten epically long already. I’ll have to save that for a Part III, I guess? So apparently, coming soon: all the additional edibles we use for food-based vitamins and minerals . . .
I like to order my supplements in big batches and all from the same place, which means I usually choose Amazon (if I’m getting other stuff too) or Vitacost (they have killer prices). If you’re interested in ordering through Vitacost, you can use this link – you’ll save $10 on your order, and so will I. Win-win!
And with that, CHEERS!
♥
Firstly and most importantly, I want to make myself very clear: I believe that raising children on a vegan diet can provide absolutely every vitamin, mineral, and nutrient necessary for optimal growth and development. No two ways about it. Please do keep that in mind if you feel like yelling at me a few paragraphs down.
So yes! I believe that a vegan diet is appropriate for every stage of life including infancy and childhood, into young adulthood, and forever after. I believe this because I have seen it. There are lots of awesome examples of people who have been vegan their entire lives, and who have clearly grown into vibrant, impressive individuals: Adair Moran (actress and professional stuntwoman), Ayinde Howell (chef and entrepreneur), Milani Malik (pro basketball player) and her sister Jehina Malik (pro body builder), and of course, Joaquin Phoenix (that’s just a link to the google image search because, well, it’s worth looking at, amiright? yowza!). You know, just to name a few.
So clearly, it is quite possible to create adult humans made entirely out of plants. (And brilliant, athletic, inspiring adults to boot!) However – and this is a big caveat of a HOWEVER – as parents raising vegan children, I believe that it’s important to be intellectually honest with ourselves. We should recognize that, really, this is all one big experiment. Because the truth is there’s still a whole lot that we don’t know about nutrition, and there are no (count them, zero) long-term scientific studies to guide us. There are no studies on vegans-from birth.
So we’re all sort of flying blind here, in a sense, just doing the very best we can with our current nutritional knowledge. And for the most part that’s totally good enough (see examples above), but since there are things we still don’t know, it’s also possible that some vegan diets could potentially, accidentally, be lacking in something. Because we just don’t know everything yet.
As parents – ALL parents, regardless of diet – it’s important that we keep close tabs on our children’s food intake and on their overall health. And that’s exactly what I do. In all honesty, I have had moments of great doubt and moments of intense fear and oh my god, when you are responsible for such an incredibly precious person, it’s just so important not to mess it up! (Ah, parenthood . . . ) So I have thought about this a lot (maybe more than some, after dealing with my own illness), and I have decided to use Waits and his own health as my barometer. That’s the agreement I came to with my inner hand-wringer, once I realized that I would be worried sick no matter what I was feeding him – vegan or paleo or traditional or somewhere in between.
I watch him closely. I look for all those little markers of health that I’ve amassed in my mind after endless hours of research in both academic and alternative venues. So far, he has been nothing short of exquisite: healthy; happy; strong and muscular; agile and co-ordinated; and exceptionally intelligent. He is above average height and below average weight, which is something that I do keep an eye on.
If his health ever became a concern, if his development slowed or his fire dulled or I if felt that he wasn’t reaching his full genetic potential in some way, well, I would not hesitate to re-examine his diet – and the dietary choices I make for him. And if for some reason it seemed that he was unable to thrive as a vegan, and if I had exhausted all the other avenues, then yes, I would be open to introducing animal foods.
I am not saying this because I believe a vegan diet is insufficient or inherently lacking. As I said above, I firmly believe just the opposite. What I want to make very clear, though, is that I will never put dogma or my own personal beliefs, no matter how deeply they are held, before my child’s health. Period.
The good news is, I don’t have to make that choice. It’s not one or the other, because they are one in the same! Waits is thriving on his vegan diet, just like so many other vegan children around the world are thriving as a new generation of plant-built people.
And I’ve seen that new generation, too. I think that part of my confidence comes from living in Portland Oregon, where literally every single one of Waits’s friends was vegan. I’ve seen so many vegan children, had the pleasure of spending time with so many pregnant vegans and lactating vegans and vegan infants and vegan toddlers and vegan sassy pre-teens. No, veganism does not prevent the sass.
So I’ve had a lot of opportunity to compare and contrast all these vegan kiddos to their omnivorous counterparts. Oh yes I did. I’ve analyzed bone structure and I’ve scrutinized height/weight and I’ve examined hair and eyes and skin and smiles and everything else I could think of. I’ve searched for patterns, sought to find some difference between vegan kids and omni kids. Maybe that’s just the scientist coming out in me.
But the best I can come up with is that on average (but not always, by any means), vegan children tend to be a bit leaner than their omnivorous peers. Which obviously makes sense. And maybe – though this is still under review – just maybe vegan kids tend to have a bit more energy. I could be biased though, since I did, in fact, birth a Tasmanian devil.
Bottom line, vegan diets can be perfectly healthy for growing children, and children can be perfectly healthy growing up vegan – BUT – that doesn’t mean every version of a vegan diet is healthy for every child. So keep a close eye on your kids and use their own health as your measuring stick.
Children are notoriously picky, which can make a well-rounded diet difficult regardless of restrictions. In my next post, I’ll talk about how to cover your bases. Yes – the much-anticipated supplement post!
♥
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Hey-o! I am super duper not a doctor, or a nurse, or a health care practitioner of any kind. This post represents my personal thoughts and opinions and is in no way meant to be taken as medical advice. Whew!
Hello Friday, my favorite friend! And hello friends – I hope you’re having a great Friday! I’m super excited about this weekend, mostly because my favorite local band is playing, but also because of gardening with my baby up at the preschool, a long overdue trip to the big Saturday FarMar, sleeping in on Sunday, puttering around my little cottage, and so much more. It’s gonna be a good one!
Amanda Palmer wrote a new song for the first time in years. Instead of sitting on it and waiting to put it on an album, she played it live right away and let a friend record it. It’s not the best quality but I really like it, especially this:
“the thing about things
is that they can start meaning things
nobody actually said”
One of the greatest ways to bring a bit of extra happiness into your life, is to practice gratitude. There is so much we take for granted, but so much to be thankful for! I love writing my list each week, and I LOVE reading all of yours. Let’s do it!
Le Love List!
1. Getting Re-Inspired.
Sometimes it takes a big shock to kick your ass into gear. And yes, Earth Day was hard and I got really emotional and very upset. But I’m using that negativity and FLIPPING IT POSITIVE. I’m taking action and working to make changes. Good things – great things – will come out of this sad bad thing.
I am grateful that I was raised to always stand up for what I believe in, that I am a woman of action because that is what I was taught to be, and that I can teach my son and others the same.
2. Taking Risks.
For me, big ones. But sometimes it’s just time to say “f&@$ it, what the hey” and dive on it. So far, risk has proven to be a delightful adventure. Life can be way fun, if you let it!
3. The Vegan Blogosphere.
The more people I “meet”, the more I love this amazing virtual space. SO MANY incredible, creative, inspiring people coming together to make something great. To make magic. To make change. Or just to make a good meal. There is so much out there and so many people doing important work, and I am thrilled each time I connect to one more of them.
Next month, VVC or bust, wahoooooo!!!
Also! regaining control .|. burning sage .|. a new coat of paint to brighten the whole room .|. giving Waits exactly what he wants and needs .|. Damian getting a new car, which means I get the old car full time!!! .|. bees .|. making lists .|. crossing things off my lists .|. an evening on my porch with a dear friend .|. pulling Tarot cards that make you go “WHAT?! THAT’S FREAKY!!” .|. Whole Foods 365 brand almond milk, it’s really the only one I like (and the cheapest!) .|. Macklemore is still rocking my socks off, especially with sentimental lyrics like these:
“And acquaintances turn to friends, I hope those friends they remember me,
Hold the night for ransom as we kidnap the memories,
Not sure there’s a way to express what you meant to me,
Sit around a table and use those years as the centerpiece.”
~~~
Alright guys, now it’s your turn – let me know what you’re loving this week!
This happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, feel free to just introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!
Hope it’s warming up where you are. Have a great weekend!
♥
On the day I took these pictures, Waits and I slept in (ie, woke up late – oops) (totally worth it) so our morning was all a bit of a flurry. Mornings are always sort of hectic (I will never be a morning person, never ever) but this particular Tuesday was particularly chaotic.
Waits [sort of] ate this while I threw together a smoothie and packed up the rest of his lunch. I’ve stopped drinking breakfast smoothies since they just don’t fill me up (some people swear by them and say they stay full forever – but I just get hungry an hour later), but I still love them for Waits because they’re so dang healthy, and I can add in all sorts of sups.
This mixture had full-fat canned coconut milk, kale, half a banana, a scoop of peanut butter, Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder (the BEST), blackstrap molasses (for iron), sunflower lecithin (for choline), Deva Cal-Mag Plus, and vitamin K-2. And YES, I know I need to write a post about why I supplement the way I do!
I dropped Waits off at
I worked all through the morning, mostly grading papers. Around noon I grabbed the last half of a bottle of Kevita (so not as good as kombucha!)
I took the last few sips with me when I went to pick up Waits, as a treat for him. I like to bring him a little something special when I pick him up – a date or a strawberry or something. I forget more days than not, but I do try.
We got home, watered some flowers, mucked about in the yard for a bit, and then I got him down for his nap. Lunch time for me!
I worked some more until Waits woke from his nap, at which point – juice time! He nibbled on some organic corn chips, and helped me put together his favorite juice blend.
And then we were off . . .
We had such a great time! And met LOTS of new friends, like:
After the hike we dropped Damian off and headed home for some very-well-earned grub. Dinner was easy-peasy since I had a ton of leftover quinoa from a dinner party I’d attended the night before.
For my dinner, I just melted some Daiya over organic corn chips in the oven, and then used them to scoop up the quinoa concoction. Waits is more apt to eat anything when it’s stuffed inside a cheese-covered taco shell, so that’s just what I did for him:
After dinner the night quickly degenerated, with a contentious bath time, a battle over teeth brushing, and a bed time that stretched until well after 10 pm. I totally forgot about my camera, though in the interest of honesty, I’m pretty sure I had a glass of wine once the kiddo was asleep. Ha!
♥
